How to become an Automotive Mechanic

To become an automotive mechanic, you must first have a high school diploma or GED. If your high school offers it, you should try to take courses in automotive repair, electronics and computers to begin your automotive education, but you will typically need to take more courses after high school before you are prepared to be an automotive technician. Next, most technicians complete a postsecondary program in automotive service technology before they enter the field. Most of these programs last six months to a year and are a combination of classroom experience and hands-on work. As a part of this coursework, technicians that will work with refrigerants need to be certified in proper refrigerant handling. To become certified, they need to pass an exam from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, many automotive mechanics choose to get certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Finally, some employers require that their mechanics get certified, and it can help mechanics advance in their careers.